NWN2 - Chat Log @ Xfire

December 21st, 2006, 10:38

A log for the recent NWN2 developer chat held by the Xfire folks is now available:

[Obsidian-Kevin]: Question: blagger: Q: Why such a linear game for an RPG? It&#39;s one of the few RPG&#39;s where i never needed to consult the book or the web for helpAnswer: It&#39;s a matter of priority and game style. There are major trade-off between linear and non-linear gameplay. To tell the epic story of NWN2 and to emphasize the companions and character interactions, we felt a more linear story was best.

Dumb question - dumb answer. The campaign of NWN was linear and so is the one of NWN2. The thing about an epic storyline is just the usual blabla. If you have no ideas then you come up with crap like this. Don't get me wrong, I like NWN2 - it comes with the mightiest editor ever which is great. But the official campaign is just bad.

Originally Posted by txa1265
That depends on how you define 'epic' - the dictionary def is "extending beyond the usual or ordinary especially in size or scope", which NWN2 certainly satisfies.

I'm not questioning Bioware's intention to create an epic storyline, and neither do I say that the storyline is not epic. What I question is the claim that a linear storyline serves this kind plot more than a non-linear one. So yes, his talk is in fact just the usual blabla - guess, he could have said something along the line, "linear storylines are just easier to come up with, and cost less development time," but hey, that just doesn't sound as brilliant as, "To tell the epic story of NWN2 and to emphasize the companions and character interactions, we felt a more linear story was best."
I'm growing more and more tired that nowadays I have to translate everything some stupid game developer says before I know what he/she really means.

I disagree - I think it is a decent story, and works pretty well in how it is played out.

That is certainly a matter of taste. I'm playing RPGs for quite some time now (and I mean QUITE some time), I read alot of fantasy novels and I'm just extremly tired to experience the same old crap over and over again. What about the story of NWN 2 is really new? It's again the usual, "Here my young apprentice take this magical artifact… ring… hmmpf… I mean, crystal and see what you can do with it. Ah by the way it's magical and powerful…," kind of storyline.

It's funny. Just look at all the retrospectives and nostalgic reviews that games like Fallout get. Hardly a day goes by without one of the many games-magazine-websites coming up with an article that praises the glory of some "old" rpg. Then there comes NWN2. Do you honestly believe that in ten years anyone will give a damn about the official campaign? I seriously doubt that. NWN 2 will most likely be remembered for its extremly powerful toolset (and rightfully though) which one cannot praise enough. The official campaign however is like one of these used newspapers that you can find on a toilett. You read it, but you have already forgotten what you read, the moment you flush the toilett.

Perhaps, but most people don't buy NWN for the OC!! The original OC was crap, but I bought both expansions (mainly so I could play mods online- though HOU was good). I expect something similar with the current iteration!!